December 29, 2014, by Lindsay Brooke
Expert reaction to Ebola case in Glasgow
A healthcare worker recently returned to Glasgow from Sierra Leone has been diagnosed with Ebola.
Molecular Virologist Professor Jonathan Ball is fielding media enquiries.
He said: “Given the scale of the problem in Sierra Leone there was always the risk that UK volunteers could become infected. This is tragic news for the brave volunteer, but hopefully they will make a full recovery. There is no better place to be cared for than in the fantastic facilities that we are blessed with in the UK.
“Ebola virus isn’t very contagious and its transmission is associated with development of advanced signs of disease – vomiting, diarrhoea, bleeding and death.
“Apparently, this case was picked up very quickly – before serious symptoms have developed – so the risk to the wider public is very, very small. I would be incredibly surprised if this case caused other infections. Even so, contacts will be traced and monitored, just to be on the safe side.”
Jonathan can also be contacted through the Science Media Centre.
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